Android Wear Buying Guide: Summer 2016

Asus

Zenwatch 2

The Asus ZenWatch turned some heads when it was released in 2014, but with more of the market moving towards round faces, nobody knew what to expect for its successor. The Asus ZenWatch 2 was announced at IFA in 2015 and released in September of 2015. The ZenWatch 2 was different from its predecessor due to the fact that it was offered in two different sizes; 49mm and 45mm with strap sizes of 22mm and 18mm, respectively.

Casio

Smart Outdoor Watch

Casio is a name familiar to the watch industry. The Smart Outdoor Watch marks the legendary company’s first foray into smartwatches. The watch was announced at CES 2016 and marketed to fans looking to live an active lifestyle.

While it isn’t the cheapest watch out there, you do get many features not included in most Android Wear smartwatches. A rugged design, water resistance, and many connected apps, just to name a few.

Huawei

Huawei Watch

The Huawei Watch isn’t Huawei’s first foray into the smartwatch world, but, it was its first smartwatch to feature Android Wear. The Huawei Watch was announced at Mobile World Congress in February of 2015 and officially released in September of 2015.

Huawei has impressed so many with its first smartwatch that some say its the best on the market. The Huawei Watch is a beautiful Android Wear device and is definitely worth checking out.

Huawei Watch for Women

Fossil

Q Founder

2015 brought several new traditional watchmakers to the Android Wear community, one of the most notable being Fossil. The legendary watchmaker released a few watches, most notably the Q Founder.

The Q Founder sits in the same price range as watches like the Moto 360 while offering stunning looks and great reliability. It hasn’t caught on with fans as much as Fossil might like, but we may see that change in later half 2016 as the watch continues to gain popularity. In a crowded market, Fossil is looking to give customers a reason to choose them over the rest of the field.

LG

Watch Urbane

The predecessor to the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, the LG Watch Urbane put LG on the forefront for beautifully designed Android Wear smartwatches. Previously, LG had released the LG G Watch, and the LG G Watch R, but neither really had that full-on “professional” look going for them. The LG Watch Urbane changed that and shook the market up a bit.

Announced in February of 2015, and released in April of 2015, the LG Watch Urbane has been the trendsetter leading up the professional-looking Android Wear smartwatches that we have seen released at the end of 2015. The LG Watch Urbane took a little bit of a popularity hit due to its price tag, but considering that LG was using the Urbane to compete with the Apple Watch, the popularity hit went back up among those Android faithfuls.

Watch Urbane Second Edition LTE

Motorola

Moto 360 First Edition

Arguably the most beautiful Android Wear device to hit the market, the Moto 360 was announced in March of 2014, and after months of speculation was released to the world in September of 2014. The Moto 360 was the one of the first Android Wear devices to be released, alongside the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live, and held the claim of being the most beautiful Android wear device of 2014 and into 2015.

The Moto 360 was teased over and over again by Motorola, and there even was an event where journalists were allowed to play around with it before the spec list was released. The Moto 360 set the precedent for beautifully designed Android Wear devices, and although its successor has been announced, it’s still the device to beat aesthetically.

Moto 360 Second Edition

Arguably the most beautiful Android Wear device was released in late 2014, the Moto 360. Folks everywhere were wondering how Motorola was going to follow up the great first run with an Android Wear smartwatch, and whether that annoying flat-tire would still be around. When the new Moto 360 started getting leaked, people were disappointed, until they saw it in person.

The 2015 Moto 360 still has that flat tire that houses the various sensors, but Motorola was quick to let everyone know that the display to bezel ratio was better than any smartwatch available today.

Moto 360 For Women

Moto 360 Sport

The Moto 360 Sport kind of came out of left field, as no one was really expecting Motorola to release a sporty rendition of its Android Wear devices. While the Moto 360 sport has a round face, similarly placed crown/button, and the flat-tire that is found on the Moto 360, that’s where the similarities end. The Moto 360 Sport is clearly designed for those who want to have a great looking smartwatch, even while working out.

On top of the pretty unique and awesome design, the Moto 360 Sport combines fashion with function due to the built-in GPS with compatibility with running apps such as Endomondo, Run Keeper, and others. The Moto 360 also allows you to measure your lifestyle activities, steps, calories burned, and more. The Moto 360 Sport isn’t your traditional Android Wear smartwatch, but then again, there aren’t many things that are traditional when it comes to Motorola.

Sony

Smartwatch 3

The Sony SmartWatch 3 is the third rendition of smartwatches released by Sony, but the first that features Android Wear. The first two renditions featured Sony’s own proprietary software but was removed with the SmartWatch 3. Announced at IFA 2014, and released in November, the SmartWatch 3 was the first Android Wear device to feature GPS built-in.

The added GPS was due to the fact that the SmartWatch 3 was seemingly geared towards runners and those workout fiends. Then, after the initial launch, Sony added a Stainless Steel option to the lineup, for those who liked the SmartWatch 3, but wanted a more professional look and feel. Sony has yet to release a new version, but it should only be a matter of time before something new is announced from the Japanese tech giant.